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Back to the Future

I have read today that in order to ascertain, with some accuracy, the way a person voted in the recent referendum it is not necessary to know a person’s social class or income. (I think we probably knew that). What I do find interesting however, is what can help in ‘guessing’ with accuracy.
Apparently asking a person, ‘Is there too much European integration?’ Is also unlikely to prove as accurate way of ascertaining the way in which individuals voted. The most accurate way of determining voting patterns is by asking questions about ‘traditional values’, according to Stian Westlake as reported on the BBC news.

Westlake says that the exit voters valued things like order, stability and safety. Westlake feels this is about harking back to the past, about feeling that people don’t belong in the present.

Of itself order, stability and safety are not bad desires. However, the questions asked that allowed Westlake to make the quoted statement are more concerning in my view.

Examples of the questions quoted by the BBC are;

‘Do you think criminals should be publicly whipped?’

‘Are you in favour of the death penalty?’

Does anyone else find this alarming? There is a rise in racist sentiment, members of the public are forming vigilante groups ignoring the rule of law, for example naming and shaming as paedophiles people who have no police record, have never come to the notice of social services, in fact no legal evidence of any misconduct whatsoever.

Perhaps this nation would prefer to be rooted in the past. A past where children as young as 12 are hung for theft, a time when trial by ordeal or combat is rife. A time when a cutpurses nose would be split, when people would be declared outlaw and be fair game for any psychopathic hooligan to kill torture of maim in any way they see fit. Perhaps a return to the stocks,

the ducking stool and scolds bridle. After all a good flogging with the cat never hurt anyone did it?

I can only assume that, as age is not a fair indicator for this particular demographic that either people have rose tinted glasses about their past or have been lulled into a sense of wellbeing by watching ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’.

What would our country look like I wonder, if it was only inhabited by White Anglo Saxon Protestants. Doubtless BoJo would be happy, the part Turkish part European (no NOT ENGLISH) aristocrat.

Whilst I do not have any figures to hand, I would guess that most WASPS are not. There will be African, Spanish, Dutch, Belgian, German and horror of horrors, French DNA contained within the blood of 90 % or better of the entire white population of Englishmen stout and true. I think our country would look empty.

A question for the died in the wool exiteer repatriators, where would you send the Cornish and the Welsh? What about Scots and Irish, they are not (nor probably want to be) English.

David Davis (an English name? Or Welsh, send him back over Offa’s Dyke) has said that EU migrants coming to the UK as our exit approaches may well not be given the right to stay. (I think they call it leave to remain Dave) he goes on to say that ‘…any steps must be compatible with EU law.’ So that is the fright to freedom of movement then?

I am an older person, I am 60. I have always felt part of this country, a feeling of belonging. I have served my Queen, I have always described myself as English. Since 24th June 2016 I have increasingly felt alienated, I no longer feel that I belong in this country. To be crystal clear, this has nothing to do with the presence of any person born elsewhere in the global community. The sole reason for my feelings of dislocation are due entirely to the upsurge of right wing thugs distributing leaflets under cover of darkness hiding in the shadows rather than let the nation see them for what they really are. I hope I am not alone.

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That sounds asinine. The BBC report I mean. It’s trying to reduce the voters to the lowest common denominator. What utter rubbish. I have not yet heard any exit voter mention any of those things. Whipping? Death penalty? We aren’t all Priti Patel. Oh wait. Maybe you’ll consider that a racist comment.

Come on Roy. You have more sense than to believe garbage like that. Am I a profiled exit voter with my degrees and public sector career and houses in Europe? I’ve had an interesting convo on my blog with someone who I would have put money on would have voted in. He didn’t. Why not? His view of democracy.

You are pigeon holing people on the grounds of racism. Unfair. Right wing thugs will always be there. All thugs will always be there. So will religious fundamentalists. Put that aside and look at other reasons why people voted out. Try working classes and poverty. Try Bullingdon Club. Try sick of being lied to. My vote wasn’t influenced by any political message. I did my own research.

Perhaps your part of the world is rooted in the past? I live in harmony with Indians, Jews, Bulgarians, Czechs, Spanish, Moroccans, Gibbos, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, and that’s just in my block.

The report was produced as a piece of proper journalism and reported both on radio 4 and the BBC website. No I don’t believe everything they say. It did though make my blood run cold. No I don’t believe that all leavers are in favour of the death penalty. I think the the majority of leavers are decent people who chose a different answer to me. I do not consider your comment to be racist, that would be ridiculous.

I don’t believe that all exits are knuckle dragging neanderthals, I mean I know your position and I do not think that of you.

I am not pigeonholing people, I am commenting on an article that pigeon holed people. I have failed, I intended the post to be;
1 poking fun at the statisticians who can prove anything they like
2 I was trying to have a bit of fun at the expense of those who take themselves too seriously
3 draw the kind of ridiculous conclusions that people like Farage would do if he was infact on the other side.

I know people who voted out, unfortunately I have to work with them. I would like to say that they were sane rational people who I can share a convivial pint with. Unfortunately I can’t. I care not which way they voted, I enjoy a debate and have been known to take a contrary position to that which I hold just to stimulate discussion. No, I find their bigotted expressions of Farage speak too crass to consider.

I agree that there will always be thugs, but when the press here contains reports of increases of racial abuse, when I see increased reporting of such offences for myself, when I see people being described as ‘rapeugees’ (which I see no evidence of, I think in the region of 80% of rapists I have dealt with are waspish), I find it difficult to remain silent. I see the way certain sections of the community I work in react to the outpourings of whatever the NF call themselves this week. For clarity, I am not referring to poor white people when I say certain sections of the community. I refer to individuals I know, that I have dealt with over the last 20 years. They are not all, by any means, ignorant, peniless or downtrodden. Some are benefit seekers, some work, some have no need to work, they are white black and brown but all have in common the one attribute of anger, easily stirred and they are quick to react to whatever button is pushed. Why have white thugs do the immigrant baiting when by saying everything is the fault of East Europeans all creeds and colours will get involved?

Ah working classes and poverty, ….. does that have an effect? On some yes, but not all. I too know working class people who are poor. My job requires that I deal with a lot of individuals who could be described as such. They have a range of beliefs and views. That is not news to me. I am guilty of not clarifying, at everyturn, my shorthand terms. I, along with most people, am sick of being lied to. I trust no politician or journalist (among a myriad others). I do not have the luxury of time to conduct in depth research and have always said that this matter was decided for me by my gut.

I am sick of posh boys making decisions over which I have no control. I am sick of not having a proper choice Laboy or Tobour? Whoever gains power will work for their own benefit.

My own little patch of this green and pleasant land actually is very forward thinking, if a little senile in population. I enjoy the company of Greeks, Chinese, Libyans, Somali’s, East Europeans from many nations, Asians, Turks and Jews. We are not all myopic isolationists. All I know, from my own experience, is that my Greek and Chinese neighbours have expressed concerns for their well being since the vote. They are not alone. I do not live in a comfy middle class enclave. I used to but the one and I found it sterile and devoid of interest. We have moved to a poorer area, where there is a real sense of community which is what we sought. I am surrounded by working people, and I include myself in that. We enjoy our community even with the thugish element which can be found everywhere. We did not move to feel better than our neighbours, we moved to rid ourselves of the mortgage and to enjoy a richer life experience. We have not been wrong.

K, I will try to be more careful about my shorthand terms and provide a clearer idea of what I am about.